Ebola-related travel restrictions now include Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport
Federal officials are expanding Ebola-related travel restrictions to include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as part of a broader effort to monitor travelers arriving from parts of Central and East Africa amid an ongoing outbreak overseas.
According to a notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, international flights carrying passengers who have recently traveled through the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan will now be permitted to arrive at Atlanta's airport beginning Friday night.
The change comes after the Department of Homeland Security initially directed those flights to land only at Washington Dulles International Airport, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had concentrated enhanced screening and public health resources.
Under the updated order, Hartsfield-Jackson joins Dulles as a designated arrival airport for affected travelers. The restriction applies to people who were present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days before entering the United States.
Federal officials said the restrictions are intended as a "proactive measure" tied to the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Cargo-only flights and airline crew members are excluded from the requirements.
The changes took effect for flights departing after 11:59 p.m. EDT Friday, May 22, according to CBP.
A second airport — George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston — is scheduled to be added to the list beginning Tuesday, May 26.
Officials have not announced any known Ebola cases connected to Atlanta travelers at this time. The CDC has historically used designated airports during international health emergencies to concentrate screening, monitoring and traveler education efforts.
